More Than 50 Civilians Dead in Congo Strife

Rockets lighted the sky here Wednesday night as Rwandan and Ugandan troops traded fire in a third day of battles during which more than 50 civilians have died.

Explosions shook the city center as dozens of rockets were launched, and the clatter of smaller-arms fire sent residents running for cover or kept them crouching in their homes.

“We had a cease-fire tonight--for 15 minutes,” said Col. Karenze Karake, operational commander of the Rwandan army.

Another cease-fire, brokered by the United Nations earlier Wednesday, was shattered within half an hour as the two sides resumed battle for control of the city, the center of the diamond trade in this country.

U.N. officials and aid workers earlier Wednesday put the death toll at more than 50 civilians, including at least 19 children, since fighting erupted Monday.

Rwanda and Uganda entered Congo, formerly known as Zaire, 22 months ago to support rebel forces opposed to President Laurent Kabila. However, the countries had a falling-out over which rebel groups to support, and they fought battles in August and May.

On Monday, the forces of the two nations were preparing to pull out of Kisangani, Congo’s third-largest city, to leave it to U.N. control, when they began fighting again in the steamy Congo River port.